For a thousand years,
the Silk Road spun the most delicate of links
between China and the Mediterranean, carrying
along its route all the luxuries and rarities
of the known world. But it wasn't just the exchange
of precious cargoes that took place along this
ancient caravan route—it was also the exchange
of ideas.
Accompanied by Professors Marshall
and Merle Goldman, experts on Russian and Chinese
history and culture, we will uncover traces of
this cultural exchange in modern-day China, Kazakhstan,
and Uzbekistan, and explore the great empires
and cities that once flourished within them.
Vast changes are still taking place in these
nations as they come to terms with the economic
influences of the 21st century. We'll delve into
this contemporary struggle while also discovering
the superb art and architecture, bustling bazaars,
and traditional forms of dance and music of centuries
past.
Our trip begins in the cosmopolitan
city of Beijing, where we'll explore the Forbidden
City, Tiananmen Square, and visit the Temples
of Heaven and Fahai Si before flying to Xian,
the ancient capital from which all silk routes
extended. Among the archaeological discoveries
that tell of Xian's glories are the famous terracotta
soldiers. A special visit has been scheduled
to an actual excavation site where exquisite
sculptures are being painstakingly removed each
day.
Next we fly to Dunhuang, known for its Mogao
caves, on whose walls one can see the greatest
collection of Buddhist paintings in the world.
In Turfan, we visit the Bezeklik Caves, whose
flamboyant paintings are rich in Persian, Chinese,
and Indian influences. We spend a Sunday at Kashgar's
weekly market—perhaps the greatest bazaar
in the world, unchanged since the days of Marco
Polo. In Uzbekistan, we discover the tangled
alleyways, spice-laden bazaars, and grand domed
architecture of cities such as Samarkand and
Bukhara. Our trip ends in Tashkent, whereocal
artists and U.S. Embassy officials help us understand
a country so long a part of the Soviet Union.
This is a tour about understanding
and experiencing—a treat for the mind and
senses. We hope you will join us! |
Marshall I. Goldman is
Kathryn Wasserman Davis Professor of Russian Economics (Emerita)
at Wellesley College. An expert on the Russian economy, he has
been a member of the Wellesley faculty since 1958. He is also Associate
Director of the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at
Harvard University. Professor Goldman is the author of over a dozen
books on the former Soviet Union including his most recent book, The
Piratization of Russia: Russian Reform Goes Awry.
Merle Goldman,
Professor Emerita of Chinese History at Boston University, is the
author of a number of books on modern Chinese history and culture
including Sowing the Seeds of Democracy in China. Her
forthcoming book, From Comrade to Citizen: The Struggle for
Political Rights in China will be published in 2005. She is
also the co-author with John K. Fairbank of China: A New History. |
